Second Chico win puts defending champ Forsberg in series point lead

Second Chico win puts defending champ Forsberg in series point lead

By Bill Sullivan/ Civil War Sprint Car Series

CHICO, CA (6-14-12) - The Hoosier Racing Tires Civil War Sprint Car Series rolled into action last weekend with two big nights of racing at two different tracks at the far north end of the state. Friday night, the traveling campaign for winged 360 sprint cars rolled into Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico for the second consecutive visit there and in the end saw a repeat winner as defending six time champion Andy Forsberg of Auburn took home the hardware.

For Forsberg, Friday's victory came with a heavy heart as the race paid tribute to a fallen colleague, David Tarter who was tragically killed one week earlier while inflating a tire in the pit area at Silver Dollar Speedway. Like everyone on Saturday night, Forsberg dedicated his evening to Tarter and paid tribute to his family in the form of victory at the popular track on the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds.

In the feature event, Forsberg started on the outside of the front row next to pole sitter Tyler Wolf. Following the waving of the green flag the driver they call Mr. Excitement muscled his F&F Racing #X1 Sprint Car to the front of the field to take command of the event that would ultimately result in him earning the series point lead.

While Forsberg worked the point, seventh place starter and former track champion Stephen Allard of Cameron Park was a driver to watch while he powered his way towards the front. Racing into the final laps, Allard was Forsberg's biggest threat until the checkered flag where Forsberg picked up his second straight Civil War Series win and second at Silver Dollar Speedway for the series. Allard finished in the second position followed by Mason Moore of Princeton who started sixth. Matt Shelton finished in the fourth position followed by former track champion Greg DeCaires of Elk Grove.

In the B Feature on Friday night, Allard led them to the checkered flag and was followed by Moore, Shelton, Brett Rollag, Joey Magaruh and Trent Canales to transfer into the money race. Heat race victories were claimed by John Michael Bunch, Bradley Terrell, Dan Menne and Robert Stice.

Earlier in the evening, Shelton earned the fastest qualifying lap of the night with a 13:002. Moore was second followed by Herman Klein, Allard and Kyle Hirst. A total of 35 cars entered Fridays event.

With his win, Forsberg took the point lead of the Civil War Sprint Car Series with a six point advantage over Colby Wiesz. Hirst was third in the standings following the night followed by Allard in fourth and DeCaires who rounded out the top five with 21-points between fifth and the lead.

Following the Friday night event, the Civil War Series headed to American Valley Speedway in Quincy for round five. Full information on the Civil War Sprint Car Series presented by Hoosier Racing Tires can be found at www.civilwarsprints.com.